Travel & transport scams

Uber scams include phishing emails about suspicious charges, fake ride receipts, and in-person scams where drivers manipulate fares. Uber will never ask you to share your password, call you about account problems, or request payment outside the app. Always verify charges in the Uber app directly.

Lyft scams centre on the verification code. A caller claiming to be Lyft support says they need a code to fix an account problem — that code takes over your account. Lyft never asks for it, and there is no inbound support phone line.

The Booking.com scam uses compromised hotel accounts to message real guests through the platform's own system, asking you to re-confirm card details or lose the reservation. The message is genuinely from Booking.com; the payment page it links to is not.

Expedia scams are lookalike booking sites, fake support numbers in search ads, and calls claiming a hotel payment failed and needs re-entry. Check every booking by signing in at expedia.com — a real problem appears there.

Airbnb scams involve fake property listings, hosts who try to move communication and payment off the Airbnb platform, and phishing emails about booking confirmations. Never pay for an Airbnb rental outside the Airbnb website or app. If a host asks you to wire money or pay via Venmo, it's a scam.

Vrbo scams almost always involve paying outside the platform. An owner offers a discount for a bank transfer or Zelle, and the Book with Confidence Guarantee then does not apply. Keep every payment and message on Vrbo.

The Marriott scam to know is the front-desk call: a call to your hotel room at night saying the card on file failed and asking you to read it out. It is routed from outside the hotel. Hang up and go to the desk in person.

Delta scams are fake customer service numbers bought as search ads, SkyMiles account theft, and free-ticket giveaways on social media that harvest personal data. Use only the number in the Fly Delta app or on delta.com.

The American Airlines scam is the fake customer service number: after a delay or cancellation, passengers search for a phone number and reach scammers who buy the top search ads. Use only the number on aa.com or in the app.

TSA PreCheck scams are third-party sites that charge well above the official fee, or collect your Social Security number and payment and file nothing. Enroll and renew only at tsa.gov/precheck or the official enrollment provider it links to.